The Florida Gators have a tough opponent ahead of them in Week 4 as they visit the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes for an in-state rivalry matchup.
While the Hurricanes are ranked within the top-five programs in the country, the Gators can't back down from the difficult matchup, especially with a familiar opponent running Miami's offense.
Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck transferred to Miami this offseason, and while the veteran QB is 2-0 against Florida, his most recent performance against the Gators should give them hope that they can make the worst parts of his game come out this Saturday.
Last year, despite Georgia beating Florida 34-20, the Gators repeatedly got to Beck and forced one of his worst performances of the season.
Carson Beck vs. Florida Gators 2024
- 25-of-40 (62.5 percent)
- 309 passing yards
- 2 passing touchdowns
- 3 interceptions
- -6 rushing yards
- 2 sacks
Yes, Beck was able to earn more than 300 yards through the air, but he also threw more interceptions than touchdowns as the Florida defensive secondary locked down against him. He also had three carries for a loss of six yards on the ground and was sacked on two occasions.
Beck isn't at his best against Florida, and it's even better for the Gators that it is still a rivalry matchup. While the two Florida-based programs don't play each other every year, the Gators are coming off a brutal 24-point loss to the Canes from last season.
Not to mention, Florida head coach Billy Napier's seat is hotter than ever following the 10-point loss to the No. 3 LSU Tigers.
Which Florida Gators have to play their best against Miami?
The weight of the rivalry matchup and the pressure to secure their head coach's job for at least one more week should be plenty of motivation for the Gators in Week 4.
With Beck being one of the top targets for Florida's defensive unit, a couple of players need to make sure that they are playing at the top of their game on Saturday.
While Myles Graham is just a sophomore, he has been dominant on the defensive side of the ball this season. He already has 17 total tackles (11 solo) to lead the Gators, as well as earning two pass deflections.
Both PDs came against the Tigers alongside four of his tackles so far this year. The young linebacker has to keep his in-game performance at this level as he and Florida take on the Hurricanes.
On the veteran end of the stick, senior edge rusher Tyreak Sapp has been a monster off the line. He already boasts a team-leading one sack for three yards as well as eight total tackles.
Sapp has to be firing on all cylinders against Miami on Saturday, especially since he had a slightly lackluster performance against Beck last season, earning just one total tackle in the game.
Florida and Miami are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 20, and the game will be broadcast on ABC.